Several
interesting series and tournaments highlight this third weekend
of the 2013 campaign.

The top series has No. 7 Oregon (7-1) heading
south for a three-game series at unbeaten No. 18 Cal State
Fullerton (8-0). The Ducks are batting just .221, but are riding
a staff with an ERA of 2.38. The Titans are even more impressive
on the mound, with a team ERA of 1.62. They have fanned 69 and
walked just nine in 72 innings. Cal State Fullerton has a team
batting average of .282.

Staying on the West Coast, Texas (6-2) visits No.
12 Stanford (6-2) in another great weekend series. The Cardinal
staff is impressive again, with a team ERA of 2.03. They have
struck out 66 and walked just 18. Stanford is struggling at the
plate, hitting just .254. The Cardinal has received more free
bases via walks and hit batsmen (49) than strikeouts (42). The
Longhorns are hitting the ball pretty well at .293 with an
on-base percentage of .383. Texas has been busy on the bases,
successful 18 of 23 times on stolen base attempts in eight
games. The UT arms have a team ERA of 2.50.

Heading across the country, one of the best
rivalries in college baseball will be renewed this weekend
between No. 6 South Carolina and Clemson (5-2). The teams will
play at Clemson on Friday, in Greenville on Saturday at Fluor
Field and in Columbia on Sunday. The Gamecocks are batting .288,
led by LB Dantzler at .542. He has 13 RBI in seven games with an
on-base percentage of .625. He has five walks and five
strikeouts. The team ERA for South Carolina is 2.51. The Tigers
are hitting .269 with a team ERA of 2.22.

Other series to keep an eye on include Kent State
at No. 19 Louisville, No. 15 Ole Miss at FIU, Southern Miss at
Troy, Tulane at Alabama and Michigan State at Austin Peay.

The Astros in Action College Classic will be held
this weekend at Minute Maid Park in Houston with another strong
field. No. 1 North Carolina (7-0) and No. 13 Rice (6-2) join
Houston (6-2), Texas A&M (7-3) Baylor (3-5) and California
(4-4). The Tar Heels and Owls will meet on Friday afternoon at
3:30 p.m. CT.

The Coca-Cola Classic got underway on Thursday in
Surprise, Ariz., with Arizona State (5-2) edging No. 2 Arkansas
(7-2) by the score of 3-2. They meet again on Saturday, as well
as facing Gonzaga (4-4) and Pacific (3-4).

Conference play begins in four leagues. In the
Southern Conference, Appalachian State visits Davidson and
Furman goes to preseason favorite Elon. In the Big South, High
Point plays at Presbyterian. In the SWAC, Alabama State goes to
Alcorn State, Grambling State visits Prairie View A&M, Alabama
A&M hosts Jackson State and Southern heads to Arkansas-Pine
Bluff. In the MEAC, preseason favorite Bethune-Cookman
entertains Florida A&M.

***

There are still a dozen undefeated teams of those
who have played. Cal State Fullerton and North Carolina have
been mentioned above. No. 9 Mississippi State (11-0) hosts a
four-game series with Saint Joseph’s. South Alabama (9-0) plays
three at College of Charleston. No. 16 Oklahoma (9-0) welcomes
Pepperdine for a three-game set in Norman. Miami (Fla.) (9-0)
travels to struggling Florida for three contests in Gainesville.
Virginia (8-0) will have two games against both Harvard and
Bucknell in Charlottesville. No. 5 Oregon State (8-0) has a
four-game home series against Bryant. Florida State (7-0) brings
in Villanova for three games. Cal Poly takes its 7-0 mark to
Washington for a three-game set. VCU (5-0) plays at The
Citadel’s tournament, facing UNC Asheville and Pittsburgh along
with the host Bulldogs. After getting snowed in last weekend,
Creighton (3-0) returns to the field for three games at BYU.

***

There are 15 teams that begin their seasons this
weekend: Brown, CCSU, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Fairleigh
Dickinson, Harvard, Massachusetts, NYIT, Omaha, Penn, Princeton,
Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart and UMBC. Yale will be the final team
to take the field, beginning its season on March 9.

***

Congratulations to Wichita State head coach Gene
Stephenson for reaching 1,800 victories, all with the Shockers.
He joins Augie Garido as the two to reach the plateau in
Division I. Garido has 1,853 wins while at San Francisco State,
Cal Poly, Illinois, Cal State Fullerton and Texas. The record
for all divisions belongs to Gordie Gillespie, who compiled
1,893 victories in 59 Division III seasons at Lewis, Ripon and
St. Francis (Ill.). Gillespie retired following the 2011 season
at the age of 85.

***

The undefeated VCU Rams have a team ERA of 1.00
after five games with 10 walks and 40 strikeouts in 45 innings.
Opponents are hitting just .180 against the Rams. VCU has used
just five pitchers so far. Ryan Farrar and Heath Dwyer are both
2-0 with 0.69 ERA, allowing one run in 13 innings with 10
strikeouts.

***

Hot hitters around the nation include Daniel
Palka of Georgia Tech, DJ Peterson of New Mexico and Matt
Oberste of Oklahoma.

Palka leads the ACC in
hitting, hitting .559 (19 for 34) in nine games with five
doubles, two homers, 14 runs and 12 RBI. Teammate Buck Farmer
has been dominant in his first two starts, allowing eight hits
in 15 scoreless innings with no walks and 21 strikeouts.

Oberste has driven in 17 in
his first nine games, hitting .441 with three doubles and three
homers.

For Peterson, seven of 10 hits have been for
extra bases, with three doubles, two triples and two home runs.
He has 23 total bases in six games and a slugging percentage of
.958.